Dimensionally Scaled Experiments and the Theories on the Water-Drive Process

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Published in Petroleum Transactions, AIME, Volume 204, 1955, pages 35–42. Abstract This paper reports the results of a series of model displacement experiments carried out for measuring the efficiency of the water-drive process. This series forms a continuation and extension of that described by Engelberts and Klinkenberg. Detailed information has been obtained on the influence of the oil/water viscosity ratio. The results are represented in the form of a diagram from which both the oil recovery and the water/oil ratio can be easily read off as a function of the total production (oil plus water) for all values of the viscosity ratio M between 1 and 500. These results are viewed in the light of the two existing theories on water flooding, viz. that of Buckley and Leverett and that of Dietz. It is shown that if the Buckley-Leverett theory applies, the relation between the relative permeability ratio and saturation, which plays a major role in this theory, can be calculated with a high degree of accuracy from the results of the model experiments. Dietz's theory is found to be in agreement with the experimental results in a certain range of circumstances. A discussion of the physical background of the BuckleyLeverett and Dietz theories makes it clear why the latter fails to agree with some of the experimental results. Introduction For an economical exploitation of oil fields both a rational control of natural (primary) recovery processes and a proper application of artificial (secondary) recovery methods are essential. These require detailed information upon the dependence of the relevant flow processes on the variables by which they are governed. Three methods are available for obtaining this information:(statistical) analysis of actual field data;appropriately scaled model experiments; andmathematical analysis of the physical problem. If sufficient data were available, the first method would, in principle, be the most reliable one, although it has the drawback that the basic relationships between the variables involved are to a large extent obscured by the natural inhomogeneities of most reservoirs.

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